


Let the Shadows Show You

by scatter



Category: Persona 4
Genre: Community: badbadbathhouse, Confessions, Exhibitionism, M/M, Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-05-04
Updated: 2011-05-04
Packaged: 2017-10-19 00:18:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,252
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/194815
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/scatter/pseuds/scatter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The boys' Shadows decide to show them what to do with all their unresolved sexual tension.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Let the Shadows Show You

**Author's Note:**

> Written for a prompt at the Persona 4 Kink Meme: _Shadow!Yousuke/Shadow!Souji (or vice versa is fine too :D) A few too many denied feelings cause the boys' respective shadows to come out of hiding and show them exactly how their 'true selves' would deal with all this ust~_

When Yosuke woke up, he found himself sitting on the ground with his legs stretched out in front of him and his hands tied behind his back. Instinctively, he struggled against his bonds but there was no give, and he gave up when it became clear he was only hurting himself.

The only light came from the glow of the refrigerators humming off to the side of the room, but he could make out stacked sake barrels stretching towards the ceiling and discarded metal kegs lying about the room. Even in the dark, he recognized the surroundings.

The Midnight Channel's twisted liquor store.

One of the lights flickered on, illuminating a spot in front of him.

"Souji!" The bundle of fear and unease that had settled in his stomach loosened; with his partner around, he'd be fine, even if he had no idea what was going on. "Partner, help me out, will you?"

Souji didn't move. He was sitting on a barrel, his chin supported by his palm, and he had a smile unlike anything Yosuke had seen on his face: small, amused, and a little mocking, like there was some joke only he understood.

Yosuke didn't like it directed at him.

"Hey, come on, don't just stare at me. What the hell's going on?"

Souji glanced away. Yosuke looked but there was nothing to see, just darkness and scattered junk. There had been something, though... Yosuke looked closer. Souji met his gaze without blinking, his eyes--

His eyes.

Yosuke went cold.

That faint, mocking smile never left the Shadow's face.

"Souji." He had to swallow and wet his throat in order to speak. "This can't—he doesn't have a Shadow."

"Of course not," someone said, and he was using Yosuke's voice, only wrong and distorted. He didn't have to look to know who sauntered into view. "Not our partner. He's too special, right?"

Yosuke didn't look at his Shadow. He closed his eyes and tried to wake up.

"Not even going to check on Souji before you start freaking out?" his Shadow asked. "That's pretty damn selfish."

"What?" Yosuke opened his eyes and followed his Shadow's gesture.

A light flickered a few feet away and revealed Souji, unconscious with his arms bound like Yosuke.

"Souji!" Without thinking, Yosuke tried to lunge towards him and cried out as pain exploded through his arms. Apparently his arms were tied to something behind him.

"Calm down," Shadow Souji said. "He's waking up."

Even as he spoke, Souji's head lolled and he twisted, trying to stand and bring his arms forward.

"Relax, partner, or you'll hurt yourself." Yosuke tried to make his voice reassuring.

Souji took in the Shadows with a frown. "What's going on?"

"No idea." Yosuke felt a little better now that Souji was awake. It didn't matter that he appeared just as confused. Souji always knew what to do. "I'm still trying to get used to the fact that you have a Shadow."

"I..." Souji shook his head.

"It's a bit of a surprise to him as well. After all, he didn't have reason to have one," Shadow Souji said, "not until he met you."

"Huh?"

The Shadow watched Souji closely for a reaction. "There was nothing to hide before he came to Inaba. It was boring, really. But then he met you and things got interesting."

Yosuke looked at Souji but he was meeting his Shadow's gaze so intently that he didn't notice. "What's he talking about?"

"Yes, what am I talking about?"

"It doesn't matter." His voice was calm; if he was nervous, Yosuke couldn't tell. "You've accepted your Shadow before, Yosuke, you can do it again. That'll leave us with just mine to deal with."

"Yeah. Okay." Yosuke glared at his Shadow. "I already know you're me so stop with the games and let us go."

"That was the old you." His Shadow rested his chin on the top of Shadow Souji's head and wrapped his arms around his neck. "But Souji's changed you, hasn't he? New things to deny means I get to come back when you're too much of a wimp to face them."

"What the hell are you talking about, I'm not denying anything. If anything, Souji's helped me accept myself."

"Oh?" He pressed his cheek against Shadow Souji's and played with his collar. A wide, lazy smile came over his face. "Then this—" he slid a hand down the front of Souji's shirt "—is alright?"

Souji made an odd noise. Yosuke didn't allow himself to look at him. "What the hell are you doing?! Stop touching him!"

"Why? Don't like watching me do what you wish you were doing?"

Yosuke didn't answer.

"You think someone who'd face the worst of himself would know better than to shove everything back down all over again. But the instant he has an arousing thought about Souji, it's all doubt and denial again: 'What if he doesn't feel the same way I do? I'm only thinking about him all the time because we're best friends. I'm only hard because of, fuck, I don’t know, a breeze or something, and not because seeing my friend all hot and sweaty from fighting Shadows turns me on.' "

Yosuke bit down on the inside of his cheek and glared at his Shadow. _Shut up, shut up, shut up…_

"But that's fine." He stepped back and pulled Shadow Souji to his feet. "If you're not going to take what you want, I will."

"You can't just force him—!"

"Who's forcing anyone? Take a good look at him, loser. Is he fighting back?"

Yosuke had been so intent on his Shadow and what he was saying that he hadn't really looked at Souji's Shadow. He did now.

Shadows were exaggerations of their true selves. A person couldn't look at one and think they knew who the person really was. They didn't reflect the whole.

But he wasn't fighting back and he didn't look like he was about to argue.

He looked…excited.

"Ah, you didn't expect this, did you?" Shadow Souji smiled. He rubbed Shadow Yosuke's thighs in slow, easy circles, and Yosuke thought he could feel them too, phantom hands brushing across his skin. "But I'm not surprised. He's not very good at letting on to what he wants, even to himself."

Yosuke looked over, but Souji stared hard at his Shadow's hands.

"He likes being _special_ to you, even if it's not the kind of special he wants. He wants something more, but there's no way he can reveal that to Yosuke, not the guy who teases Kanji at every chance and constantly has girls on the brain. So he'll just be friends and smile and not say anything and at night he'll dream of fucking you into the mattress." His hands moved, pressing down hard on Shadow Yosuke's crotch and Yosuke echoed the sigh that came out of his mouth. "Then he'll do it all over the next day even though blind dogs could see you're panting for him, because if you don't want anything then you can't be disappointed when you don’t get it."

Shadow Yosuke gripped the back of his neck. "I don't think talking's going to work."

"I agree." He pressed his hands against Shadow Yosuke's back. "What you two need is to see exactly what you should be doing with all that energy you waste worrying."

Yosuke didn't know who moved first. It didn't matter; the next moment, he was watching his Shadow make out with Souji's.

There was no sign of his quiet, reserved friend in the Shadow; he leaned into every touch, twisted his body to grind against Yosuke's Shadow, and made no effort to repress any of his gasps or moans. He tugged Shadow Yosuke's clothing away impatiently and slipped his hands under. Once again, Yosuke thought he could feel them ghosting across him and his lips tingled from the pressure of a mouth that wasn't there.

He drew a shaky breath through his mouth and willed himself not to get aroused. It didn't work.

His Shadow spared him a glance, eyes hazy with lust, as Shadow Souji sucked at his neck. "Getting a little frustrated, Hana-chan?"

"Fuck off," he tried, but it came out too weak to have any effect and he couldn’t take his eyes off Shadow Souji's tongue.

"Look at him." Shadow Souji eyes were on Yosuke but his voice was directed at Souji. "What were you worrying for? That's not the gaze of someone who's uninterested. He's probably pictured this a thousand times."

Souji refused to answer, his mouth set in a tight line and his expression blank.

"Maybe we're not being persuasive enough," Shadow Yosuke suggested. He pulled lazily at Shadow Souji's belt and popped his fly open.

The Shadows were watching Souji with such careful attention that Yosuke couldn't help but do the same. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw his Shadow's hand move and there was noticeable stiffening in Souji's stance. His leg jerked before he could get it under control and he shut his eyes.

"You can feel that, huh?" Shadow Yosuke asked. "It's good, right?"

Souji didn't answer, but his Shadow's pleased exhale sounded like an answer.

 _Close your eyes_ , Yosuke told himself. _Give him some privacy._

It didn't work; the more he told himself this was a private moment, the harder he stared, the knowledge making his blood rush. Souji's Shadow had his legs spread wide and he rocked into his Shadow's hand, and Souji was doing his best to keep a straight face but he was going red and biting his lip as he got aroused. Yosuke grew warm and hard in response to both of them, and strained his ears to catch every sound that slipped out of his friend.

"Isn't this better than doing it yourself?" Shadow Yosuke asked, and Souji's Shadow moaned in agreement. "Tell him how much you enjoy watching him, Hana-chan."

Souji opened his eyes a little.

"Tell him that this is what you want. If you say it's okay, maybe he'll let himself enjoy himself."

"I…" Yosuke couldn't get the words out but he didn't have to. His pants were too tight and he shifted in an effort to create friction. He wanted a hand free, though he wasn't sure if it was to touch himself or to touch Souji.

"Hmmm." His Shadow must have done something because Shadow Souji let out an eager, "Right there," and Souji jolted like he had been struck, a strangled gasped escaping him. "You've been so quiet, partner. Tell us what you're thinking of."

Souji squirmed, heels digging into the floor like he was trying to scratch an itch he couldn't reach.

"Come on, say something. Hana-chan, what do you think he's got on his mind?" His Shadow glanced at the erection straining against his clothing and grinned. "The same thing as you, maybe?"

Watching his friend twist and pant, eyes half-closed, Yosuke's mouth moved on its own. "Partner."

Souji raised his eyes are far as Yosuke's chin.

"W-what are you thinking of?"

Souji jumped and met Yosuke's eyes for a split second before looking away.

"Give him a little prompting," his Shadow ordered.

"Is it me? I want—" He swallowed, voice hoarse. "I want you to be thinking of me."

Souji let out a long, ragged breath, looking as though he might come at any moment.

Yosuke thought he might too, just from seeing his face like that.

"I'm glad someone's admitting something," Souji's Shadow said breathlessly. He had one arm around Shadow Yosuke's neck for support and when he caught Yosuke's eye he began to suck on the fingers of his free hand, mouth forming a perfect seal.

Yosuke whimpered.

"That," the Shadow said, pulling away fingers slick with spit, "deserves a reward." His hand went down and—

Yosuke threw his head back. Something came out of his throat but he didn't think it was an actual word and he didn't care. There was nothing phantom about what he felt; the warm grip, long, wet fingers, and firm strokes were all real. He spread his legs to allow better access and bucked forward, heart pounding so hard it was painful.

"Nothing shy about him, huh?" The strokes slowed, became long and teasing, and fingers circled the head of his dick. "Tell me him what you're thinking about, Yosuke. He'll like that."

"S-Souji. Oh, fuck, partner, I wish this were really you."

The movement started again and Yosuke wasn't just warm now, he was burning up and straining against the bonds holding him down, uncaring of the pain they caused. He could feel a hand on his cock and another on his ass and the Shadows were kissing and fondling each other like he wish he could. Best of all, though, was Souji beside him, Souji's whose eyes were locked onto Yosuke's face, and he looked hungry, like he was seeing something he'd wanted for a long time. That alone pushed Yosuke closer to his own climax, and he focused on the feeling building, trying to push himself towards it, wanting the release so badly—

—and then the stimulation stopped.

" _Fuck!_ "

"Oh, calm down," his Shadow said. They'd gotten on the floor when Yosuke wasn't looking and he was leaning above Souji's Shadow, who was stroking himself to make up for the fact that Shadow Yosuke had stopped touching him.

The sight almost made Yosuke sob. He was so close; he only needed one touch, one good rub…

"Don't worry, things are about to get a lot better." Shadow Yosuke tugged off Shadow Souji's pants as he spoke, flinging them off to the side. He gave the cock in front of him a lick and quick suck as he did the same to the boxers underneath.

Souji gasped, hips jerking up. "No, wait, stop!"

He had to be insane; Yosuke could only guess at how good that must have felt and wished Souji's Shadow would return the favor.

Shadow Yosuke gave another lick, slow and lazy from base to tip, lifting the Shadow's hips for better access. "What?"

"I…" Souji took a deep breath, visibly trying to collect himself, and how he managed Yosuke had no idea. "I accept you."

"Oh?" Only Souji's Shadow could have looked serious in such a situation. He tangled a hand in Shadow Yosuke's hair, preventing him from continuing and pulling hard when he tried to jerk away. "Do you?"

"I do. Yosuke…" He met Yosuke's eyes in such a shy, honest way that Yosuke could almost forget where they were except that he doubted Souji would have looked so worked up on the school roof. "I really like you. Romantically, I mean. I've wanted to say that for a while now but my Shadow's right: I thought I'd mess things up, I thought I'd be fine with just being your friend and not wanting anything else, but I can't just keep everything bottled up. I want to be completely truthful to you, even when I'm scared of how you might react."

"I—me too."

His Shadow scoffed. "You call that a confession, Hana-chan? Or was that supposed to be you accepting me? Either way, it sucked."

"Shut up!" Yosuke made himself continue to look at Souji despite the sudden rush of nerves and embarrassment that made him want to hide. It was much easier to get caught up in the moment than it was to reveal his feelings for Souji, but if his partner could do it then so he could. "I feel the same way. I didn't want to admit it, not even to myself, but I really…" Shit, he was blushing. "…want to be with you."

Souji's Shadow let out a pleased hummed. "That's what we were aiming for."

"Couldn't have held out a while longer, huh?" Yosuke's Shadow frowned. "I was about to get laid."

Yosuke scowled at him as the Shadows faded away, and fell forward as the bonds holding him in place did the same. Despite the problem in his pants, it was his shoulders he rubbed at; he'd manage to ignore the ache in them until now but it was back in full force. He wasn't sure how Souji'd react if he got off in front of him, either.

Souji stood on shaky legs just long enough to stumble over to Yosuke's side, where he sat down heavily. "I'm sorry; if I hadn't held it all in this long this probably wouldn’t have happened."

"I doubt it." Yosuke massaged his arms. "Mine would have showed up sooner or later."

Souji leaned so that their shoulders touched. He wore a soft, oddly vulnerable expression. "Can I kiss you?"

It was so innocent compared to what just happened that Yosuke stared at him, and Souji blushed, looking away.

"Sorry, that was dumb."

"No!" A kiss; kissing Souji. He fought the silly grin that threatened to overtake his face. "I mean, yeah, I'd like that. Go ahead."

Souji smiled and their mouths met in an awkward, clumsy kiss, lips not matching up quite the way they were supposed to. Yosuke kept his hands on his knees, not sure what do with them, wondering if he should move his mouth or open it or use his tongue, and enjoying the way Souji's mouth felt.

Then Souji sucked on his bottom lip, the tip of his tongue touching it for just a moment, and Yosuke came in his pants.

He froze.

"What's wrong?" Souji pulled back. Yosuke hunched over his lap and didn't look at him. "Did…did you just—?"

"Don't even say it." Yosuke looked up when he felt Souji shaking and saw he had a hand over his mouth. "Are you laughing at me?"

"No! Yes, a little. Mostly, I'm laughing with you."

"Yeah, 'cause I'm so damn amused." Yosuke grabbed at Souji's lap. "What about you?"

"Ah!" Souji turned away and the back of his neck went red. "It'll go down, don't worry about it."

"Man, what kind of control do you have?" He'd had a handjob and someone's mouth on his dick; what the hell did it take for Souji to come? Yosuke snaked an arm around Souji's neck and tugged him off balance. In the second it took for Souji to recover, Yosuke managed to rub his palm against Souji's erection. It wasn't a great grope but it did the job; Souji began to shudder for a different reason and Yosuke froze again when he felt the warmth spreading under his palm.

In the silence that followed, both of them blushing like mad, Yosuke coughed. "So, does this count as our first time?"

"You jerk," Souji said, but he gave Yosuke a fond look as he said it.

Yosuke smiled against his neck.

"We should probably get out of here," Souji finally suggested, but he appeared unwilling to move from Yosuke's grip.

"Yeah." Yosuke was the first to stand and tugged Souji up with him. Together, they made their way to the entrance. "Ah, shit."

"What's wrong?"

He looked at the wet spot on his pants. "We've got to walk through Junes like this."

Souji had a solution. "We'll run."

Later, Yosuke had to explain to his father just why they'd knocked over a display on their mad rush through the store and had to work overtime to make up for it, but the way Souji laughed and kissed him when the coast was clear was worth it. This time, their mouths almost met up correctly.


End file.
